Apparatus and method for ultrasonic inspection of a material

Abstract

An ultrasonic transducer system has an ultrasonic transducer configured to emit ultrasonic energy in a direction and a plurality of light sources, each light source configured to emit a light beam that defines a beam pattern that intersects an axis of the emitted ultrasonic energy.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultrasonic transducer system, comprising:
 an ultrasonic transducer configured to emit ultrasonic energy in a direction from a transmitting surface, the ultrasonic energy defining an axis extending from the transmitting surface; and   a plurality of light sources, each light source configured to emit a light beam that defines a beam pattern and mounted with respect to the ultrasonic transducer so that the light source emits its light beam in the direction,   wherein the light sources of the plurality of light sources are oriented with respect to each other so that, when the ultrasonic transducer is disposed so that the ultrasonic transducer emits the ultrasonic energy to a material surface, the light sources project their said beam patterns onto the material surface so that the beam patterns intersect the axis in a predetermined configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein each said beam pattern defines a center axis. 
     
     
         3 . The system as in  claim 2 , wherein each center axis does not orthogonally intersect the axis extending from the transmitting surface. 
     
     
         4 . The system as in  claim 2 , wherein each center axis is not parallel with the axis extending from the transmitting surface. 
     
     
         5 . The system as in  claim 3 , wherein each center axis does not intersect the axis extending from the transmitting surface. 
     
     
         6 . The system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a bracket mounted on the ultrasonic transducer and in which the light sources of the plurality of light sources are secured in respective orientations with respect to the ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
         7 . The system as in  claim 6 , wherein the bracket comprises a plurality of sleeves that are discrete from each other, each sleeve receiving at least one light source of the plurality of light sources in its said respective orientation. 
     
     
         8 . The system as in  claim 7 , wherein the bracket comprises a band surrounding a perimeter of the ultrasonic transducer and passing through each sleeve of the plurality of sleeves so that the band holds the sleeves of the plurality of sleeves in position against the perimeter. 
     
     
         9 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein each light source of the plurality of light sources is a laser. 
     
     
         10 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein each light source of the plurality of light sources is a line laser. 
     
     
         11 . The system as in  claim 2 , wherein each light source of the plurality of light sources is a laser. 
     
     
         12 . The system as in  claim 2 , wherein each light source of the plurality of light sources is a line laser. 
     
     
         13 . The system as in  claim 11 , wherein the beam pattern of a first said light source and the beam pattern of a second said light source intersect at a point on the axis extending from the transmitting surface at a predetermined distance from the transmitting surface. 
     
     
         14 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic energy is focused on a focal point. 
     
     
         15 . The system as in  claim 13 , wherein each of the light beam of the first said light source and the light beam of the second said light source is collimated. 
     
     
         16 . The system as in  claim 12 , wherein the beam pattern of a first said light source is generally planar and intersects a plane normal to the axis extending from the transmitting surface in a line, wherein the beam pattern of a second said light source is generally planar and intersects the plane in a line, and wherein the line of the first said light source and the line of the second said light source intersect each other in the plane at a point on the axis extending from the transmitting surface at a predetermined distance from the transmitting surface. 
     
     
         17 . The system as in  claim 12 , wherein the beam pattern of a first said light source is generally planar and intersects a plane normal to the axis extending from the transmitting surface in a line, wherein the beam pattern of a second said light source is generally planar and intersects the plane in a line, and wherein each of a plane of the generally planar beam pattern of the first light source and a plane of the generally planar beam pattern of the second light source includes the axis extending from the transmitting surface. 
     
     
         18 . The system as in  claim 6 , wherein the bracket comprises
 a collar that surrounds a perimeter of the ultrasonic transducer and is movable on the perimeter in a direction parallel to the axis extending from the transmitting surface,   a plurality of sleeves that are discrete from each other, each sleeve being attached to the ultrasonic transducer pivotally about an axis transverse to the axis extending from the transmitting surface and receiving at least one light source of the plurality of light sources,   wherein each said sleeve defines a gear that engages a rack defined on the collar so that movement of the collar in the direction parallel to the axis extending from the transmitting surface rotates each sleeve about its axis transverse to the axis extending from the transmitting surface to thereby move the light beam of the at least one source received by the sleeve.   
     
     
         19 . A method of operating an ultrasonic transducer system, comprising the steps of:
 providing an ultrasonic transducer configured to emit ultrasonic energy in a direction from a transmitting surface, the ultrasonic energy defining an axis extending from the transmitting surface;   mounting a plurality of light sources, each light source configured to emit a light beam that defines a beam pattern, with respect to the ultrasonic transducer so that the light source emits its light beam in the direction, wherein the light sources of the plurality of light sources are oriented with respect to each other so that, when the ultrasonic transducer is disposed so that the ultrasonic transducer emits the ultrasonic energy to a material surface, the light sources project their said beam patterns onto the material surface so that the beam patterns intersect the axis in a predetermined configuration; and   disposing the ultrasonic transducer with respect to the material surface so that the beam patterns intersect the axis in the predetermined configuration.   
     
     
         20 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein, at the mounting step, each said beam pattern defines a center axis. 
     
     
         21 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein, at the mounting step, each light source of the plurality of light sources is a laser. 
     
     
         22 . The method as in  claim 19 , wherein, at the mounting step, each light source of the plurality of light sources is a line laser. 
     
     
         23 . The method as in  claim 20 , wherein, at the mounting step, each light source of the plurality of light sources is a laser. 
     
     
         24 . The method as in  claim 20 , wherein, at the mounting step, each light source of the plurality of light sources is a line laser. 
     
     
         25 . The method as in  claim 23 , wherein, at the mounting step, the beam pattern of a first said light source and the beam pattern of a second said light source intersect at a point on the axis extending from the transmitting surface at a predetermined distance from the transmitting surface. 
     
     
         26 . The method as in  claim 19 , including the step of focusing the ultrasonic energy on a focal point. 
     
     
         27 . The method as in  claim 24 , wherein
 at the mounting step, the beam pattern of a first said light source is generally planar and intersects a plane normal to the axis extending from the transmitting surface in a line,   at the mounting step, the beam pattern of a second said light source is generally planar and intersects the plane in a line,   at the mounting step, the line of the first said light source and the line of the second said light source intersect each other in the plane at a point on the axis extending from the transmitting surface at a predetermined distance from the transmitting surface, and   at the disposing step, the material surface coincides with the plane.   
     
     
         28 . The method as in  claim 24 , wherein
 at the mounting step, the beam pattern of a first said light source is generally planar and intersects a plane normal to the axis extending from the transmitting surface in a line,   at the mounting step, the beam pattern of a second said light source is generally planar and intersects the plane in a line,   at the mounting step, each of a plane of the generally planar beam pattern of the first light source and a plane of the generally planar beam pattern of the second light source includes the axis extending from the transmitting surface, and   at the disposing step, the material surface coincides with the plane normal to the axis extending from the transmitting surface.   
     
     
         29 . The method as in  claim 19 , comprising the step of moving the plurality of light sources with respect to the ultrasonic transducer to select an intersection of the beam patterns with the axis in the predetermined configuration. 
     
     
         30 . The method as in  claim 29 , wherein
 the providing step comprises providing a bracket mounted on the ultrasonic transducer and in which the light sources of the plurality of light sources are secured in respective orientations with respect to the ultrasonic transducer, and   at the providing step, the bracket comprises
 a collar that surrounds a perimeter of the ultrasonic transducer and is movable on the perimeter in a direction parallel to the axis extending from the transmitting surface, 
 a plurality of sleeves that are discrete from each other, each sleeve being attached to the ultrasonic transducer pivotally about an axis transverse to the axis extending from the transmitting surface and receiving at least one light source of the plurality of light sources, 
 wherein each said sleeve defines a gear that engages a rack defined on the collar so that movement of the collar in the direction parallel to the axis extending from the transmitting surface rotates each sleeve about its axis transvers to the axis extending from the transmitting surface to thereby move the light beam of the one or more light sources received by the sleeve.